The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-23
THE ARMY And NAVY.
Synopsis of Annual Reports of
Department Bureaus.
Receipts and Expenditures, and
Other Matters.

Adjutant-G General Drum, in his annual re
Fort to the Secretary of War, states that the
steadily increasing interest manifested by the
militia of the State is evidenced by the high
percentage of attendance at the annual
encampments and the generally excellent
military spirit Of the troops. The reports
Of officers on duty as military professors
in colleges and universities are generally sat-
isfactory, and evidence widening sense OF
appreciation of the value of the early and
partial instruction of the youths of the coun-
try in military studies and habits. The
average number of students attending these
institutions was G,6g2a, of whom GG0 attended
artillery drills and 3 ,273 infantry drills.
The Adjutant-General thinks that the pay
OF the lowest non-commissioned officers
should not be less than S25, and that the pay
Of the entire class should be readjusted on
the suggested pay for the lowest posi-
tion to $50 or $50 for the highest
On the subject Of discharges i'll the
army, the report states that the pres
ence in the ranks of nearly seventy per cent.
of tho legal strength of the army, with the
service ranging from three to thlrty-hse
years, indicate clearly that the great
majority Of the men who desert or seek
their discharge is limited TO that class who
have less than three years service In order
to eliminate from the army, without injury
to the Government, men either lnapt for
military service or rendered restless
and discontented by the demands and
jutant- General recommends that. ex
cept where long and faithful ser
vice constitute a strong element of favorable
consideration, discharges be made purchase
bic by the payment Of sum sufficient to le-
imburse the Government tho expense of re-
cruiting and transportation
The administration of the affairs of tie
military prison at Fort Leavenworth, the re.
port says, has been satisfactorily conducted
during the past year, and the prison has prof.
ably reached the limit of its growth while
the army remains ut its present standard.
The accommodations are believed to be suf-
fcient for the number of prisoners which
It may be necessary to send to the prison.
The Paymaster-Gcncrars Report.
Paymaster- General Rochester, in his an
nual report to the Secretary of War, states
that the receipts of the Pay Department dar-
ing the year amounted to S15, ,SS7, 36J and the
disbursements $l4,23o,356. Surplus funds
deposited in the Treasury amount to $40
G03; PaymasterS' col ect ons to $2S.,-
3S4, and the balance in the hands
Of paymasters June So 1887, to 81, ,339. .0I+.
The amount disbursed during the year shows
a large increase over the previous year
which is due to the large amount paid Oh
Treasury certificates in the settlement of
claims for soldiers for back pay and bounty.
He states that at the date of tie last
annual report the number of officers in
the Pay Department was IS; since then Col.
George L. Febiger and Major c. J. Sprague
have been retired. an1 Major John F., ,Rlanc
has died. OF the Is officers now in the de.
partment only 10 are available for duty, and
this number will, before the close Of the next
fiscal year, be reduced to 81, by the retire
ment of three officers now on active duty.
The PaymaSter General recommends that
section ll90 of the Revised Statutes be so
amended as to authorize the appointment by
the Secretary Of War of such number of ad-
ditional clerks to Paymas:ers rs the service
may require. The appropriation for mileage
will be exhausted before the end of next de-
cember.